Little Do You Know

Chapter 28

1994

"Mommy!" Lyric screeched as she raced toward her, Emily right on her heels, both girls slamming into her legs. "We just saw little piggies! Come on! You've got to see the little piggies!"

Dani looked up to see Jett and James desperately trying to keep up with their sisters, their little legs just not moving quite as fast, Steve running behind them, looking like he was ready to fall over from the effort of chasing them down. She knew exactly how exhausting her own children could be and double them had to be positively draining.

"I...we...ugh..." Steve huffed as he reached them, placing his hands on his knees, leaning forward, trying to catch his breath. He inhaled and exhaled a few times before slowly rising back up. "I took them to see the farm animals and they loved it. But then Lyric got all excited, talking about how much you love animals, and she raced away to tell you. That meant Emily followed, because of course, she follows Lyric anywhere and then the boys had to join in. And...do you have any idea how hard it is to keep up with a seven year old, a six year old, and two toddlers?"

Dani laughed, following the little group as Lyric led the way back to the animals, "I know how hard it is to keep up after just mine so I give you credit for taking on all four at once." She glanced around herself, the multitude of people just milling around the fair. "Where did Robin and Vickie go? I thought they were with you."

"They went to find funnel cake for everyone," Steve answered. "And all the kids ran off to ride some rides."

"You know they're not really kids anymore," Dani mused, one eyebrow raising. "They're all twenty-two now. They are fully grown adults."

Steve snorted, rolling his eyes, "Yeah. I will call them adults when they act like it. Henderson ran past and gave me a wedgie as they were running over to the rides. That sounds like a fully mature adult."

Dani pressed her lips together in amusement, "My husband is twenty-seven and he still does shit like that. And trust me, Eddie is a fully grown, well developed man."

"Oh gross, Dani," he huffed, shaking his head. "I do not need to hear about any part of Eddie's development. Trust me, we are all very aware of what you think about it. Speaking of, where did the metalhead run off to?"

"They're getting ready," she answered. "Him, Gareth, and Jeff had to head back to get all their equipment ready on stage. So, we've got about thirty minutes until they play."

"Mommy! There's the piggies!" Lyric squealed, pointing in front of her to a half dozen baby pigs running around a pen. "Oh, they're so cute!" She knelt down in front of the pen, reaching her tiny hand through to pet one of them and the tiny porker leaned into her, closing its eyes as she rubbed its back.

"Oh my god," Dani breathed, joining her daughter on the ground, reaching through to pet another one as Jett leaned into her side, resting his cheek on her arm. "They are the sweetest little things. Look at that nose!"

"Can we have a pig?" asked Lyric.

"No," laughed Dani, shaking her head. "We don't have anywhere to put a pig, Lyric."

"We could let him sleep with Ozzy!"

"I don't think Ozzy would be very pleased having to share his bed with a pig," Dani replied.

"Who wants funnel cake!?"

Dani's head turned to find Robin and Vickie balancing a bunch of plates of funnel cake on their arms. Rising to her feet, she took Lyric over to the hand washing station, making sure her little girl scrubbed those dirty hands before she dove into food of any kind.